How to Make a Father Christmas Costume

Santa Claus costumes are pretty standard fare: thick red coat and pants with fur trim at the cuffs, heavy-duty black boots, white gloves, and white hair and beard. We recognise the icon in most parts of the free world. And we can replicate it fairly easily.

Father Christmas Costume Material and Supplies

Santa costume coat and pants

Boots

No-sew tape

Fake fur

Santa's goody bag

Father Christmas costume accessories

Father Christmas costume accessories

Santa costume coat and pants

Starting with the most visible part of the Santa Claus suit, look in your wardrobe or charity shops for a red coat and red pants. Now, yes, most of us don't have such a colour in a jacket, never mind in trousers. And it may be difficult to find them out in the world.

So you can either make a Father Christmas base outfit by using soft material and dye it a bright cherry red, or you can go with another familiar look for Santa: use red sleepwear. If you are envisioning more Father Christmas of yore than Santa Claus of commercial fame, you can opt for a long duster or coat by using a heavy-duty bathrobe, or even an old brocade rock star coat…if you happen have one laying about.

Boots

Let's put some believable footwear on that Santa. It is apparently very cold at the North Pole and at the heights at which Santa Claus soars in his sleigh. Plus, there is usually snow associated with the time of year he travels. Easy enough.

Use high boots - either motorcycle or punk boots that lace up to right below the knee; or find - or even borrow - a pair of black rubber rain boots, fisherman boots, or even firefighter boots. Again, you can always spray paint black a pair of waders from the second-hand shop.

No-sew tape

It is not a sin in this case. So veteran sewers, relax. Most costumes, Santa Clause costumes or otherwise, are used infrequently enough that the no-sew tape is a blessing for speed and ease of making a Father Christmas suit. No-sew tape is the stuff you can get at a sewing supply store or a crafts store that is adhesive on both sides or that is adhesive once you iron it on.

Fake fur

Fur, also known as faux fur - will thank you for the tape. Or you will thank yourself: how many needles have you broken on the sewing machine trying to sew together unbearably thick materials? Okay, so you can also get the faux fur at a supply store, can cut up an old fuzzy blanket, or can even tear up an old jacket. What you want is enough for two sleeve cuffs and two pant leg cuffs. Make them generously wide.

Santa's goody bag

At Christmas time, you can get a Santa bag in a few places, but it can get pricey. In fact, buying the complete Santa costume can be particularly pricey. So again, start at home: use an oversized pillow case. You can dye a case or use a red, black, or white one, even.

Or you could go to the discount store and look for a laundry bag--which can be purchased for next to nothing and can then be used for the household tasks. Good to make things dual-purpose, right?

Father Christmas costume accessories. Eyeglasses, a pipe, and even white gloves are optional, of course, but add to the complete Santa Claus outfit impression you wish to convey.

And, finally, white hair, moustache, and beard. Simple enough to find a wig and fake facial hair set up for Santa.